Rihanna made a fashion and social-justice-related statement with her look at the 2021 Met Gala. On Monday (Sept. 13), moments before the red carpet was nearing its end, the singer and her boyfriend, A$AP Rocky, showed up to the event and immediately became the talk of the town. Donning an all-black Balenciaga oversized coat and matching hat, Rih took time to answer a question about the inspiration behind this year’s look.

“Well, I wanted a look that seemed very powerful, yet feminine, yet like a Black hoodie, which is usually the thing that we are incriminated by as Black people,” she told journalist Gia Peppers, who represented Essence.

“I wanted to empower that and take it and make it mine and make it fashion.” As for her makeup, the singer wore several products from none other than her own Fenty Beauty cosmetics line.

Rocky, on the other hand, walked onto the carpet with a colorful quilt, which he dropped to reveal his fitted suit. The two were the last celebrities to arrive at the gala, which also saw appearances from Megan Thee Stallion, Taraji P. Henson, Mary J. Blige, Teyana Taylor and Keke Palmer, who channeled her inner Diana Ross.

Also at the 2021 Met Gala was a group of Black designers who was able to attend the event after an invite from Lewis Hamilton. As previously reported by REVOLT, the veteran brought emerging fashion designers Kenneth Nicholson, Theophilio and Jason Rembert along with him to the gala.

“The Met is the biggest fashion event of the year, and for this theme, I wanted to create something that was meaningful and would spark a conversation,” Hamilton told Vogue. “So that when people see us all together, it will put these Black designers at the top of people’s minds.”

Look to below to see Rihanna discuss her look from the 2021 Met Gala.